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18th annual West Texas Deaf Olympics promotes inclusion and teamwork for deaf youth

Deaf children and teenagers were able to compete in competitions and win prizes.

SAN ANGELO, Texas —

The 18th annual West Texas Deaf Olympics happened at the San Angelo Lake View Stadium Friday.

The event is intended to promote health, teamwork and fellowship among students, professionals and parents in the hearing-impaired community. 

West Texas Deaf Olympics creator Brenda Wellen saw the need for children in West Texas to be around more children like them. Now 18 years later, the event has grown more and more every year. 

“It’s nice for the kids to see a whole world of other kids out there who also wear hearing devices because they are sometimes the only ones in the school. They think I'm the only one who wears hearing aids or I'm the only one who has a cochlear implant. So, it is really nice for them to see. There are more people out there who sign and who have hearing devices and who have teachers who sign,” Wellen said.  

From different events and competitions for the children to choose from, one parent who brought his child for the first time said events like this are important for hearing-impaired youth. 

“It makes you feel like they have no impairments at all. It’s pretty fun for her to experience it, have friends, meet new people. I enjoy it, she enjoys it,” Dillon Miller said.  

Texas Hands & Voices was also at the event to assist parents and children. THV is a parent-led nonprofit organization providing resources, peer support and advocacy in an unbiased manner to families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing. 

To learn how you can get involved with the youth of the deaf community, visit the West Texas Deaf Olympics Facebook page. 

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